PORTSMOUTH CHORAL UNION

Registered charity 266974 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

Practises and puts on public performances of music often in collaboration with young persons/school choirs, orchestras and bands and with young soloists. Holds 'Come and Sing' events for public participation.

Objects

THE FURTHERANCE OF THE EDUCATION OF THE PUBLIC IN THE ARTS AND SCIENCE OF MUSIC, BY THE PRESENTATION OF PUBLIC PERFORMANCES AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.

Area of benefit: NOT DEFINED

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: Education/training · Recreation · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Chichester, South East, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income

£48k

Latest spending

£34k

Registered

1975

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity held free reserves of £68,313.91 as of 31 July 2025, which meets its policy target of holding one year's running costs. However, the trustees note concerns regarding rising costs, smaller audiences, and an aging membership profile, indicating potential financial pressures despite current reserve adequacy.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: unclear

“Member subscriptions and (normally) ticket sales provide the majority of our income.”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Reserves policy: one year's running costs (held: £68k)

“Our policy is to try to hold one year’s running costs in reserve which we achieved in this financial year.”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Discloses 4 of 6 completeness components.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
Safeguarding policy and procedures
Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
Trustee expenses policy and procedures

Trustees · trustee networks

Sylvia Mary Lockchair
Dr ALISON MARGARET BARKER
Dr Andrea Hegedus
Dr David Gweirydd Griffiths
JANE HELLIWELL
Julie Ann Smith
Lesley Evelyn Chapman
Lois Houston
Paul Alastair Hately
Sonia Helen SCHOFIELD
Susan Florence Ward

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Hampshire · Portsmouth City

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/07/2025	£48k	£34k
31/07/2024	£40k	£27k
31/07/2023	£24k	£33k
31/07/2022	£28k	£37k
31/07/2021	£18k	£51k

Common questions

Is PORTSMOUTH CHORAL UNION financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity held free reserves of £68,313.91 as of 31 July 2025, which meets its policy target of holding one year's running costs. However, the trustees note concerns regarding rising costs, smaller audiences, and an aging membership profile, indicating potential financial pressures despite current reserve adequacy.

Funders of similar charities

Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

Funder	Similar charities funded	Amount to them
THE SCOPS ARTS TRUST	2	£30k
THE DISCWORLD FOUNDATION	1	£180k
THE ROPER FAMILY CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£70k
DR RADCLIFFE'S TRUST	1	£5k
THE MERCHANT VENTURERS CHARITY	1	£5k
THE MARCHUS TRUST	1	£5k
THE GROCERS' CHARITY	1	£5k
THE JOYCE FLETCHER CHARITABLE TRUST	1	£5k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with THE MILTON GLEE CLUB.

THE MILTON GLEE CLUB income £18k
LIVERPOOL WELSH CHORAL UNION income £56k
HERTFORDSHIRE CHORUS income £123k
SOUTHAMPTON OPERATIC SOCIETY income £36k
Bath Philharmonic Orchestra income £407k
PETERBOROUGH SINGS! income £248k

Side by side with its peers

Charity	Income	Top pay band	Reserves vs policy	Fundraising cost	Going concern
PORTSMOUTH CHORAL UNION	£48k	—	above	—	no doubt
THE MILTON GLEE CLUB FY2025	£18k	—	above	—	noted
LIVERPOOL WELSH CHORAL UNION FY2025	£56k	—	above	—	no doubt
HERTFORDSHIRE CHORUS FY2025	£123k	—	no_policy	—	noted
SOUTHAMPTON OPERATIC SOCIETY FY2025	£36k	—	unclear	—	noted
Bath Philharmonic Orchestra FY2025	£407k	—	above	—	no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.